By Dan Scanlan, Jax Today
Members of 38 churches, congregations and community groups gathered Tuesday to pray for an end to violence that they said has claimed 107 people so far this year.
Meeting at the Historic Mt. Zion AME Church, they once again asked Sheriff T.K. Waters to refine his department’s violence intervention program, one that ICARE said does not seem to be stemming the violence.
The Rev. Victor Cole said half of the people killed this year were under 30 and about 80% were Black.
“I am angry about the violence. I am sick of seeing people of color being gunned down in our city year after year,” Cole said, surrounded by about 50 ICARE members. “This has to stop. On average, 120 people were murdered every year in this city since 2016. Jacksonville has been Florida’s murder capital for the last 20 years.”
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office did not respond to two emails requesting reaction to ICARE’s proposal.
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